, 1887-07-07
A SUMMER STORM.
Snow Encountered in the Mountains
Last Sunday.
A Rather Tough Experience by Four
Lost Cheyenneites.
Wandering About in a Blizzard on
the Sd of IuIy.

w. A. Richards, Fred Halnes, John
Hanlon and a representative of THE
LEADER started for the Cache la Poudre
at 4 o'clock Sunday morning. They
failed to reach the trout stream, but
passed through about as exciting a series
of adventures as can be met with on an
average Fourth OF July trip. When a
few miles southwest of Granite Canyon
the road was lost, when a council of war
was held and a determination reached
that the party didn't care about the Colo
RADIO stream, but would strike for the
mountains and camp on one of the small
streams south OF Sherman Accordingly
the team was fed and a fresh start taken.
After a drive OF about two hours a snow
storm was encountered. This declaration
may create some surprise, but it is no I'M
usual occurrence in the mountains at this
season. The large flakes fell rapidly,
while a piercing cold wind blew them
about the travellers, who were clad in
light clothing. After wandering over the
hills until the team was nearly exhausted,
a halt was called and an attempt made to
erect the tent. 1t was useless, however,
to attempt anything of the sort in the
raging storm, and the unfortunate excur-
sionists could do nothing but crawl under
the wagon and pray that they might es-
cape alive. Richards and the newspaper
man led in prayer alternately, while the
other two cursed ~fervently and the horses
neighed pitifully. The expense was ter
rible. Three forty cent hats were blown
away. For a time it seemed that all
must inevitably be frozen to death, had
they not had the presence of mind to at
tach picket ropes to their respective bod
les and walk up and down the length of
the tether. AS it was Richards and
The LEADER man each had their feet
badly frozen, while Haines and Hanlon
carry their ears in sings. Toward even
ing the storm abated somewhat, and the
horses were attached to the wagon and
the wanderings of the modern Crusoes
resumed. After driving until midnight
and escaping from the storm the ranch of
Mr.. Jos. Roseman, thirty-fve miles
southeast of Laramie City, was
reached. Here the party was Hospitality
entertained and the frozen portions of
their individual anatomies subjected to
the brandy treatment. Early the morn
ing of the Fourth the wearied and dis
heartened C~heyenneites were shown what
direction to pursue in order to reach the
railroad track, which they were to follow
home. They finally arrived at one of the
Union Pacific snow sheds, but as the sun
vas hidden by clouds mistook west for
east, and landed in Laramie City at 8
o'clock in the afternoon. A number of
grangers were encountered on the Journey
from the ranch to the railway track. For
the most part they were foreigners and
strangers in the country. Their knowl-
edge of the geography of the country was
about as comprehensive as that of a
wooden Indians. They invariably pointed
out the wrong roads, and were always
mistaken as to distance and the locality of
fences. The four excursienists boarded a
freight at Laramie and arrived home
Monday evening. A Laramie stable m
ploye will probably arrive with the team
in a few days. Two of the qua1tette,
Halnes and Hanlon, are confined to their
rooms, while Mr.. Richards and THE
LEADER man are about only because COM
PEELED to be on business matters. The
occurrence was as unusual and novel as it
was terrible, and the participants will re-
member the event for many a day.